Secrets for getting a picture-perfect look

Ever walk out the door feeling like you're looking great only to have your picture taken and hate the results? Even the best African American skin care products will come off as shiny or too thick in photos if you're not applying them correctly, especially since digital cameras can zoom in so close you can almost see every pore. Recently, Allure magazine spoke to makeup artists Romy Soleimani and Gucci Westman, who explained the secrets for creating a picture-perfect look. 

First, the magazine says you have to be careful when applying undereye concealer. If your concealer is lighter than your foundation, then it will look too light under the influence of a camera flash. Instead, be sure to choose the right color and blend well.

Next, be sure to use the right tools to make sure you don't look too shiny.

"To avoid a dull, powdery complexion, control oil with blotting papers," said Westman, quoted by Allure "Keep your T-zone super matte, but keep your upper cheekbones or the bridge of your nose more luminous because you want that youthful glow," added Soleimani, also quoted by the news source.

Cosmopolitan magazine says that to look good in pictures, stand up straight and turn one slightly towards the camera. This will make you appear longer and leaner.  

Use a skin care calendar this 2012 to improve your complexion

 

The new year is a time to recommit to using the best African American skin care products to enhance your complexion. Skincare-news.com suggests that one way to do this is to make a beauty calendar for 2012, with a skin goal for each season. This way, as the weather changes from one condition to another, you'll be prepared for whatever comes your way.

For example, this February make a resolution to re-evaluate your skin care routine to make sure that you are doing the most for your unique skin type. If you've been noticing that your skin is dry and flaky, then it make be time to chance products to something with more moisturizer. For oily skin, you may want to consider using a cleanser that is free of any extra oils.

When the spring come around, make a plan to go see the dermatologist. These professionals can educate you on the best ways to take care of your skin. This may not only benefit your complexion, but help protect against skin disorders. 

In the summer, resolve to make sure that your cosmetics contain added SPF. This will help keep you from developing skin cancer, one of the most common forms of carcinoma. 

Simple lifestyle changes for healthier skin in 2012

Did your new year's resolutions include improving the health of your skin? If not, they should have, since your complexion is the first thing that many people notice when they first meet you. There are many ways to improve your skin, from using the best African American skin care products to making simple lifestyle changes.

First, drink more water. This will improve your overall health and the elasticity of the skin. Eight, eight-ounce glasses a day is recommended to replenish the cells. Next, eat a healthy diet that gives the body the antioxidants you need. Some substances that contain these helpful nutrients can also be found in African American skin care products, such as green tea and pomegranate.

Try to do things to relieve stress. Anxiety can cause breakouts and other skin issues such as psoriasis.

Finally, use the right skin cleansers for your particular complexion type. If you're not sure which one is right for you, than consult with a dermatologist who can offer you a professional opinion. 

Women have more antioxidants to reduce their skin cancer risk

It's important to wear an African American skin care product with added SPF to protect against the sun's harmful UV rays to lower your risk of developing skin cancer. Ladies should be encouraging their male partners to slather on the sunblock as well, since men are three times as likely to get a common form of skin cancer than women. 

Recently, researchers from Ohio State University set out to try to figure out why men are developing this and other cancers at a higher rate. What they discovered is that male mice appear to have lower amounts of an important skin antioxidant, and a higher amount of cancer-causing inflammatory cells.

"The findings suggest that women may have more natural antioxidant protection in the skin than men," said study co-leaders Gregory Lesinski and Tatiana Oberyszyn.

Researchers are hoping that the discovery of this disparity could lead to new targets for cancer treatments.

For women who want to give their skin even more antioxidants, there are many skin care products for black skin that contain green tea and pomegranate, both of which are antioxidant-rich.